Knowt
Exam1
Empirical
based on observation, experience, or experiment
Hypothesis
a predictive or tentative explanation
Observation
You notice a lake is green and slimy
Experiment
Manipulate one or more factors while holding other factors constant
Replicates
identical experimental units that receive the same treatment
Conspiracy
A secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful (Oxford Dictionary)
Homo Sapiens
About 150,000-200,000 years ago emerged from Africa
First human settlements
6,000-10,000 years ago in Mesopotamia
Early agriculture
10,000 years ago
Soil erosion
the loss of soil from an area
Easter Island
an island that demonstrated the uses of all of resources available
Polynesians
people who lived on Easter Island
Deforestation
the process of cutting down more trees that causes the lack of trees
Industrial Revolution
began in Great Britain in the late 18th century
Fossil fuels
a source of energy that was used
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and others
writers and philosophers who thought nature was a very important part of well-lived life; considered dehumanizing aspects of the Industrial Revolution
Yellowstone National Park
first national park in the US
John Muir
founded the Sierra Club
Teddy Roosevelt
first conservation-minded US president who established The National Wildlife Refuges
United States Forest Service
land that established 'multiple uses' emphasized. It can be used to chop down trees as long as it isn't too much
National Park System
preservation of environment in pure form
Aldo Leopold
Proposed a new 'land ethic'
Rachel Carson
describes effects of toxic chemicals (e.g. DDT) on people and other species
Wilderness Act
designated land as wilderness in parts of U.S.; highest level of protection for land
Environmental Protection Agency
mission is to protect human health and the environment
Federal
agency that enforces environmental laws and conducts scientific research
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
releases report on climate change
Paris Agreement
A global agreement to address climate change that the US left
Sustainability
an act is sustainable if it can be carried out at its current rate indefinitely
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development recognizes that growth must be both inclusive and environmentally sound to reduce poverty and build shared prosperity for today's population and to continue to meet the needs of future generations.
Ethics
a branch of philosophy consisting of values and morals
Values
the worth that society places on something e.g. people have a right to own property
Morals
what is right and wrong e.g. stealing is wrong
Environmental Ethics
concerns the moral relationships between humans and their environment (i.e., what is external to a living organism)
Anthropocentrism
View that humans are the center of importance and all other things are secondary --protecting the environment could be valued, but only if it is in the best interest of humans
Biocentrism
View that all living organisms have their own worth, regardless of whether or not they benefit humans; humans are just a part of the complex web of life -- those who value biodiversity for its own sake
Ecocentrism
View that entire ecosystems are of value and recognize the importance of ecosystem processes (e.g. water purification by wetlands); the environment has an inherent worth
Tragedy of the Commons
it is in the best interest of individuals to maximize their acquisition of resources; as the commons become crowded common-pool resources become degraded
BioSphere
The part of earth that contains all ecosystems
Ecosystems
Community and its nonliving surroundings
Population
Groups of organism of one type that live in the same area
Organism
Individual living things
Group of cells
Tissues, organs, and organ system
Cells
Smallest functional unit of life
Molecules
Groups of atoms smallest unit of most chemical compound
Matter
Anything that takes up space and has mass
Element
substance that cannot be broken down into other substances like carbon
Atoms
smallest unit of matter that retains the unique characteristics of the element e.g., the element carbon consist of carbon atoms
Molecule
The smallest particle of a substance that retains all the properties of the substance and is composed of 2 or more atoms
Compound
a substance composed of atoms of different elements
Organic compounds
relatively large molecules containing carbon bonded to hydrogen (and often other elements)
Chemical reaction
When elements or compounds combine with one another to make a new compound
Heat
a form of energy that can be transferred between objects of different temperatures
Chemical energy
stored in bonds between atoms in molecules
Radiant energy
includes solar energy
Photosynthesis
Process by which plants convert sun heat to chemical energy
Respiration
process by which energy is released from the breakdown of sugars and other organic compounds
Ecology
Scientific study of the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment
Species
groups of organisms that resemble one another and that can interbreed
Community
multiple species that live in the same area and interact
Abiotic Regulators
How organisms adjust to changes in the environment (e.g., precipitation, temperature, nutrients like nitrogen).
Optimum Range
The conditions where organisms of a species are most abundant.
Tolerance Limits
The range of environmental factors (e.g., saltiness, moisture, temperature) within which organisms can survive.
Adaptation
A feature that improves the function of an organism in its environment.
Example
Fish fins.
Genetics
The study of genes, heredity, and variation in organisms.
Gene
The unit of heredity made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
DNA
A double-helix molecule composed of matching nucleotides—adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.
Evolution
The change over time in a species.
Genetic Variation
Differences among organisms in structure and function due to genetic differences.
Natural Selection
The environment 'selects' organisms that are better adapted, while poorly adapted organisms die. The survivors' traits are passed on to their offspring through genes.
Heritable
Traits that are passed from parents to offspring via genes.
Antibiotics
Used to treat bacterial infections by killing or slowing the growth of bacteria.
Charles Darwin
Theorized evolution by natural selection.
Dr. Peter Grant and Dr. Rosemary Grant
Studied the evolution of finches on Daphne Island, Galapagos, for over 40 years.
Competition
Interaction where both organisms are negatively affected.
Intraspecific Competition
Competition between individuals of the same species.
Interspecific Competition
Competition between individuals of different species.
Predation
Interaction where one organism feeds on another.
Carnivory
One animal kills and eats another (e.g., a lion eating a wildebeest).
Herbivory
Animals eating plants.
Parasitism
Organisms (parasites) live on or in a host, obtaining nutrients at the host's expense.
Ecosystem
A bounded ecological system consisting of all the organisms in an area and the physical environment with which they interact.
Ecosystem Ecology
The study of ecosystems.
Common Themes of Ecosystem Ecology
Flow of energy and matter, how ecosystems vary over space and time and the causes for the variation, effects of species on ecosystems, measurement of ecosystem services.
Ecosystem Restoration – Process of returning an ecosystem to its natural state.
Restoration Ecology – The scientific study of repairing damaged ecosystems.
Human Disturbance – Changes caused by human activities like urban development and agriculture.
Land Use Change – Transformation of natural land for farming, housing, or urban expansion.
Drainage Canals – Man-made channels that divert water away from wetlands.
Tamiami Trail – A highway that disrupts water flow in the Everglades.
Lake Okeechobee Dam – A structure that alters water flow and reduces water supply to the Everglades.
Water Flow Reduction – A 70% decrease in freshwater flow due to human intervention.
Phosphorus Pollution – Nutrient pollution from agriculture that degrades water quality.
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
CERP – A $18 billion, 30-year project to restore water flow and quality in the Everglades.
Water Quantity Restoration – Removing canals and increasing freshwater flow.
Tamiami Trail Bridges – Infrastructure changes to improve water movement.
Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) – Artificial wetlands designed to remove excess phosphorus.
Nutrient Removal Cells – Engineered wetlands that filter water pollution.
Wetland Restoration – Rebuilding marshes to restore natural ecosystem functions.
Freshwater Supply Increase – Goal of restoration to benefit agriculture and urban areas
Q: What are the three main objectives of studying population dynamics?
A: Understanding types of population growth, factors regulating population size, and differences among species.
Q: Why is population growth important to study?
A: Helps understand human populations, manage endangered species, invasive species, fisheries, and disease control.
Q: What is individual growth rate?
A: The increase in an organism's size over its lifetime.
Q: What is population growth rate?
A: The change in population size over time.
Types of Population Growth
Q: What is exponential growth?
A: Population increases at a constant rate when resources are unlimited.
Q: What shape does exponential growth follow?
A: J-curve.
Q: What is the formula for exponential growth?
A: dN/dt = rN
dN/dt = change in population over time
r = growth rate
N = population size
Q: What is logistic growth?
A: Population grows exponentially at first, then slows as it reaches carrying capacity (K).
Q: What shape does logistic growth follow?
A: S-curve.
Q: What is carrying capacity (K)?
A: The maximum population size an environment can support.
Factors Affecting Population Change
Q: What is the equation for population change in open populations?
A: (Births + Immigration) – (Deaths + Emigration).
Q: What is the equation for population change in closed populations?
A: Births – Deaths.
Q: When does a population increase?
A: When Births > Deaths.
Q: When does a population decrease?
A: When Births < Deaths.
Species Population Growth Strategies
Q: What are r-selected species?
A: Species with rapid population growth.
Q: What are characteristics of r-selected species?
A: - Short lifespan
Many small offspring
Early reproduction
Minimal parental care
Good colonizers (e.g., insects, bacteria).
Q: What are K-selected species?
A: Species with slower population growth.
Q: What are characteristics of K-selected species?
A: - Long lifespan
Few large offspring
Delayed reproduction
Parental care
Poor colonizers (e.g., elephants, whales).
Human Population Growth - Quizlet Flashcards
Human Population Growth Basics
Q: How many more people are added to Earth daily?
A: 200,000
Q: What is the current global population (2024)?
A: 8.2 billion
Key Terms
Q: What is the crude birth rate (CBR)?
A: Number of births per 1,000 people per year
Q: What is the total fertility rate (TFR)?
A: Average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime
Q: What was the U.S. total fertility rate (TFR) in 2024?
A: 1.79
Q: What is zero population growth (ZPG)?
A: When births + immigrants = deaths + emigrants
Q: What is replacement-level fertility?
A: Number of births per woman needed to maintain population (≈ 2.1)
Q: What is the crude death rate (CDR)?
A: Number of deaths per 1,000 people per year
World Population Dynamics
Q: Is the global human population a closed system?
A: Yes, it only changes through births and deaths.
Q: What is the equation for population change in a closed system?
A: Population change = Births - Deaths
Q: When does population size increase?
A: When birth rates exceed death rates
U.S. Population Dynamics (2024)
Q: What is the U.S. crude birth rate (CBR) in 2024?
A: 11 per 1,000
Q: What is the U.S. crude death rate (CDR) in 2024?
A: 9 per 1,000
Q: What is the U.S. net migration rate (NMR) in 2024?
A: 3 per 1,000
Q: How is net population growth calculated?
A: Net Growth Rate = CBR + NMR - CDR
Q: What is the projected U.S. population in 2024?
A: 340 million
Factors Affecting Population Growth
Q: What has contributed to population growth in the last 100 years?
A: - Increased food supply
Better nutrition
Medical advancements (e.g., vaccines)
Safer water supplies
Q: How does development affect birth rates?
A: Higher development generally leads to lower birth rates.
Q: What role does family planning play in population control?
A: Helps individuals control family size through contraception and reproductive planning.
Q: What factors influence birth rates?
A: - Economic development
Family planning access
Birth control
Cultural and religious beliefs
World Population Projections
Q: What is the trend in global fertility rates?
A: Declining over time
